Contemplating ED

[Curt2000]

So I've spent the better part of my afternoon planning a hypothetical ED dream summer vacation. I currently have a M3 allocation with Steve Thomas that is scheduled to be built in week 13...

First Question: Is ED now more expensive than a normal US delivery? If all things were equal from a down payment and monthly payment stand point I'd probably go for ED. Im afraid it may be more expensive since the dealerships are now having to take M cars out of their allocations and have to charge ED MSRP which is pretty much a wash with US invoice. That paired with the increased ED MF means the lease may end up being a bit more.

Second Question: How much should I budget for such a trip, I'd like to hear from other owners who have done ED. Im planning on 12 nights, my potential trip route is attached, each point is a night or two stay.

Third Question: Is it worth it regardless on money?

Thanks!
-Curt

[PetoM3]

It's still possible to get ED discount ( I got $1200 over invoice , which is awesome cus all other WA dealerships are out of allocation whatsoever!). Depends on dealership. Check out the Share your deals thread on this forum for what deals people are getting....

[benjammin]

First off, nice choice with the options. Love Santorini (though I was too cheap to order Individual paint myself) and I love my speed cloth too.

#1: Can't really answer this as I ordered mine a year ago, but my response to #3 should help answer this one.
#2: My trip (see thread here http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=733294) was 18 days and cost $2700 without flights. I kept an eye on the budget but still splurged on a few things here and there - the fuel bill for one
#3: Absolutely. If you've never driven in Germany it's a real treat, and that's before you factor in the unlimited speed sections. Alpine passes are spectacular and I would suggest working some into your itinerary. Food and beer are excellent.

My route was roughly Munich > Stelvio > Milan > Zurich > Heidelberg > Frankfurt > Munich and there was plenty to see and do in the 15 days or so we were on the road. Depends on your priorities but my suggestion is to take back roads that are often less busy, provide great scenery, and also provide a better feel of the area instead of rushing by it on the highway. We found there's less English spoken on back roads compared to populated areas, but that's part of the fun

If you can make ED work, do it! You will not regret it.

[chris s]

Pretty sure Steve Thomas isn't discounting the ED as they once were. Maybe that has changed again.

[Curt2000]

Originally Posted by benjammin

First off, nice choice with the options. Love Santorini (though I was too cheap to order Individual paint myself) and I love my speed cloth too.

#1: Can't really answer this as I ordered mine a year ago, but my response to #3 should help answer this one.
#2: My trip (see thread here http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=733294) was 18 days and cost $2700 without flights. I kept an eye on the budget but still splurged on a few things here and there - the fuel bill for one
#3: Absolutely. If you've never driven in Germany it's a real treat, and that's before you factor in the unlimited speed sections. Alpine passes are spectacular and I would suggest working some into your itinerary. Food and beer are excellent.

My route was roughly Munich > Stelvio > Milan > Zurich > Heidelberg > Frankfurt > Munich and there was plenty to see and do in the 15 days or so we were on the road. Depends on your priorities but my suggestion is to take back roads that are often less busy, provide great scenery, and also provide a better feel of the area instead of rushing by it on the highway. We found there's less English spoken on back roads compared to populated areas, but that's part of the fun

If you can make ED work, do it! You will not regret it.

Amazing pictures and write-up! Yeah I have to get smart on the good Alps passes that will make for some fun driving.

My wife has never been to europe so I wanted to hit a few countries/landmarks that Im familiar with.

Im hoping Francesca gets back with me with a descent quote for the ED and can make the dates work as well...its a long shot but I know it would be worth it.

[Curt2000]

OK I added Stelvio pass and Nurernburgring to the itinerary and dropped Venice for Milan, made the trip a lot more efficient and fun

[THE TECH]

Whatever you do, make sure you do ED regardless of where you end up going while there!

[Curt2000]

EDIT: See post 15, decided to do ED afterall!

Well gents, just got off the phone with Francesca and there's good and bad news...The bad news is; Steve Thomas is already at rock bottom with their pricing which is barely over US invoice meaning the best they can do at this time is ED MSRP which means the MF adder would make the car more expensive. Additionally my car is already scheduled for production in late March meaning BMW wouldn't hold the car for a ED delivery until June for me anyway. So ED on this one is not going to happen.

The good news; There is the potential that on the M4 or new M3 and later production years of the M5/6 that BMW may start to allow dealerships to once again snag allocation free production slots until the entire years production run is sold out, meaning the first few months of every year there will be a run on EDs! (at least thats how I understood it). So in 3 years or less if the E92 is not satisfying compared to the new M cars I could potentially line up a ED invoice priced M4 and take my dream vacation then...

Thanks for everyone's responses!

[THE TECH]

Sucks to hear. Not too much good news if you ask me. Hope you can make it there eventually. I missed out on the chance as well when I had mine built. Regretted it since.

[LOVEM]

Go To Europe. You Will Regret It Later... Trust Me.

[LOVEM]

David
__________________

David ///M Aviles
2x Winner M Sales Award, USA & BMW Genius
www.BMWDavid.com 202-262-2900
BMW Individual | European Delivery | Performance Center

TRY TO GIVE HIM A SHOUT. MY COUSIN GOT A DEAL $1000. OVER EURO INVOICE LAST WEEK.

[LOVEM]

Originally Posted by Curt2000

OK I added Stelvio pass and Nurernburgring to the itinerary and dropped Venice for Milan, made the trip a lot more efficient and fun

David
__________________

David ///M Aviles
2x Winner M Sales Award, USA & BMW Genius
www.BMWDavid.com 202-262-2900
BMW Individual | European Delivery | Performance Center

JUST GAVE YOU A HOOK UP.

[Curt2000]

Originally Posted by LOVEM

David
__________________

David ///M Aviles
2x Winner M Sales Award, USA & BMW Genius
www.BMWDavid.com 202-262-2900
BMW Individual | European Delivery | Performance Center

JUST GAVE YOU A HOOK UP.

Thanks, I talked with David this morning...wow what an awesome deal...very tempting...

[Curt2000]

Well Gents the prospect of Germany in June and the great deal David quoted me for was too much to pass up. I switched my order to David and Northwest BMW this afternoon.

I'm still convinced that Steve Thomas is the best place to go for US delivery currently but since their allocations are nearly sold out there is no incentive for them to take the loss associated with ED orders. I felt really bad leaving them since their customer service was so awesome!

[benjammin]

Good to hear. Let us know how your trip goes - and take lots of pics!

[askjeeves]

ED is an amazing experience. Looking at your map, I think you are trying to reach too far in the amount of time you have. You'll be spending too much time driving, and not enough time enjoying the cities that you drive to.

[TTG]

Glad to hear that you are doing ED. Only way to buy a BMW.....

Hopefully, BMW will fix this whole allocation thing pretty darn soon :-)

PS: IS David re-delivering your M to your location or do you have to go pick it up from MD?

[Curt2000]

Originally Posted by TTG

Glad to hear that you are doing ED. Only way to buy a BMW.....

Hopefully, BMW will fix this whole allocation thing pretty darn soon :-)

PS: IS David re-delivering your M to your location or do you have to go pick it up from MD?

He can courtesy deliver it for me to any dealership...unfortunatly since desert BMW has a corner on the market here in Las vegas they charge wayyy to much for delivery...I'll have it delivered to one of the L.A. dealers for $500

[M3Carbon]

Not one Viagra or Cialis joke? You people are slipping!

[Stronghammer]

If I had my ED to do over again I would change the following.

Don't go to the Welt on the day you fly in. Go there rested and spend the day, that place is so cool.

I would drive the "ring".

Study the road signs before you go.

Hit the Alpine passes early in the day. When we drove Stelvio it was around 8 in the morning, no crowds super fun. When we drove the Grossglockner pass it was mid day, lots of cars and bikes. Fun but very crowded and hectic.

I would spend 1/2 a day looking for open stretches of autobahn with no speed limit. We did some but not enough. I was amazed how fast the gas gauge dropped when cruising at 120 mph

[///Matthew]

Originally Posted by Stronghammer

If I had my ED to do over again I would change the following.

Don't go to the Welt on the day you fly in. Go there rested and spend the day, that place is so cool.

That's exactly what I did last time I went for my '11 E92 M3. Got into Munich in the morning, settled into my hotel and walked around the city for the remainder of the day. The next day I hit BMW Welt then the plant tour, sadly I missed going to the museum.

I'm going back to Munich next week to pick up my '13 E92 M3, and will be adding the BMW Museum and a trip to the BMW Dealership in Munich. I was going to hit the ring, but I take delivery of my car on 3/18, and I would only be able to drive on the ring on the 17th per their website.

[Curt2000]

Originally Posted by ///Matthew

That's exactly what I did last time I went for my '11 E92 M3. Got into Munich in the morning, settled into my hotel and walked around the city for the remainder of the day. The next day I hit BMW Welt then the plant tour, sadly I missed going to the museum.

I'm going back to Munich next week to pick up my '13 E92 M3, and will be adding the BMW Museum and a trip to the BMW Dealership in Munich. I was going to hit the ring, but I take delivery of my car on 3/18, and I would only be able to drive on the ring on the 17th per their website.

aww man what a bummer about the Ring...so they have 'black out dates'?